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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Shake Your Booty!

I love to dance. If you're ever in Pittsburgh and you feel like shaking your booty, I will totally go with you.

(but I'll probably wear more clothes)

Dancing is my kind of exercise. I grew up on the basics- ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop.

When I got to college, I started learning more exciting kinds of dance. I joined the break dance club, and learned to pop like you wouldn't believe. Mostly because I didn't have the upper-body strength to do more than freezes.

(This was during my rebellious phase, when I insisted on baring my shoulders)

Then I auditioned for the Folk Dance teams. I'll post about that another time. For now, I'll just say that I studied a whole lot of dance styles. My favorites were Irish, Indian (both classical and bhangra), Israeli, Spanish (flamenco), and clogging.

(these are Hungarian costumes. I'm in the front row, on the right.)

But my real love? Swing dance. I love swing dance.

(can you tell these pictures are 2 years old?)

My brother and I began country swinging when I was in highschool. That's fun an everything, but my favorite styles are West Coast, Lindy, and Blues. In that order.

(this is what you wear when you know how to swing dance)

But the absolute best is when the guy knows all three and dances a west coast/lindy/blues cross over. That's what heaven feels like.

(My favorite part of this picture? The cleavage. Obviously.)

My last year at BYU I gave in and joined the swing team. And dang it was fun. See?

(Yes, I realize I look ridiculously excited. Also, that guy on the left? He's dropping her on her face, not grabbing her boob.)

I recently discovered the intricate swing scene here in Pittsburgh, and I am loving life right now. I just wish I knew more people.

(I'm in the back, dancing with Ransom. Who is 2 feet taller than me)

Kurt doesn't know how to swing, and he's much too busy to learn. Which is ok. I just go by myself, and dance with random strangers all night.

So if you are in Pittsburgh and you swing dance, lets be friends. And if you don't, what are you waiting for?

Loving the reference to the intricate swing dance scene. I wonder if there's one of those around here where I live? Maybe it's an intricate and UNDERGROUND swing scene - that's why I haven't heard of it. ;)

Loving the reference to the intricate swing dance scene. I wonder if there's one of those around here where I live? Maybe it's an intricate and UNDERGROUND swing scene - that's why I haven't heard of it. ;)

Well, hi. I'm Helena. I grew up on a blueberry farm in Western Michigan. My days were spent reading on the beach in the summer, and reading in my bedroom under a quilt in the chilly Michigan winter. I moved out to Utah to go to school, and to get away from my family. You know, typical angsty teenager stuff. While out there, I met this guy named Kurt, who was also from Michigan. But we were just friends.

Flash forward 9 years. We got married, and then we moved to Pittsburgh so he could go to Dental School. What can I say, the guy likes teeth. Now we have a little girl, a baby boy, two little turtles, and a whole new adventure ahead of us. Welcome to my life.